


Mixed Messages

by HodgeWrites



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: (Lucien has entered the chat), Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, I got bored, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Pining, Shadowgast, Spoilers, Wip? Is this a wip? I dont know, big angst time in ch 2, kinda a coda?, mainly, mild tw, mostly essek pov, no drafts we die like men, no smut here, so sorry if grammar sucks, someone take my writing privileges away, spoilers though 123, with a dash of beauyasha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:33:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29168874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HodgeWrites/pseuds/HodgeWrites
Summary: A few message spells and a strange dwarf with a note later, Essek is losing his mind on top of the snowy outpost waiting for his friends. How dare he have feelings. This would be so much easier if he could just not care. Oh well, c'est la vie.
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett/Yasha, Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast, Fjord/Jester Lavorre
Comments: 10
Kudos: 141





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize in advance for any like, mischaracterizations, I wanted this pretty close to the characters and how they speak, if it sounds funky this is my first fanfic in like, years.

The outpost was surprisingly similar to Balenpost. Snow was piled and constructed into huts and a few larger buildings, imported wood peaking though the snow as reinforcements to the structures.

Tapestries and other textiles depicting the Bright Queen’s sigil and imagery of the Luxon also dotted the encampment, visible for miles for any non-Dynasty travelers to stay away.

This surface level was, of course, only for show. Once one enters and of the huts, they’d be greeted by a simple room with a staircase or tunnel dug deep into the snow.

Essek didn’t know how long it had taken for the architects and their worms to dig, this more permanent outpost was finished before he arrived some months ago.

He hated leaving the mainland without notifying the Mighty Nein, but he knew that if they had need of him, they’d be able to find him.

Clearly, they weren’t desperate. He hadn’t gotten so much as a check in from Jester since he had last seen them all at the negotiations, and his own desperation started shifting to an ache he wasn't familiar with, but knew it was their fault. Somehow.

The first message had surprised Essek. Well, he knew he shouldn’t have been too surprised. In hindsight, he figured, the Nein were always sticking their heads where they don’t belong, so it had to have been only a matter of time before they found their way to the biting north, the next stop in this shadow war between the Dynasty and Empire.

The next few messages only added to Essek’s anxiety however.

He had his own duties to attend, but every waking moment he spent not barking orders to the morons digging around and picking fights with Yetis, he bit his lip in anticipation for any sign of his… friends.

If he could even still call them that.

Uraya, the only one of his subordinates he remotely trusted, also only caught radio silence.

They eyed him suspiciously, as he jumped at the sound of a horn alerting the camp of a returning scouting party.

Moorbounders weren’t built for the cold, and that wasn't even mentioning the pains to feed them when meat stores were already scarce, so most of their teams came and went on foot.

“Got somethin’, Thelyss!” One of the mercenaries, an orcish woman with no regard for authority beyond who pays who, crossed the threshold of the gate. He recognized her party, they were meant to be far south, not to return for another day cycle, so seeing them back in the dead of night sent Essek's mind into hyperdrive.

Behind her, her team circled a hunched figure, their weapons drawn.

“Found this one, or rather ‘e found us. Asked for you by name.”

Essek floated forward to the figure. He wasn’t hunched, Essek realized, he was sitting. The rough, frost-covered dwarf sat in some sort of modified wheelchair.

“Impressive.” Essek nodded at the craftmanship. “But who are you?”

“Name’s Dagen Underthorn.” The dwarf held up a piece of crumpled parchment. “I got a message from the Mighty Nein.”

Essek sent out every spare man he could find. No one dared refuse his order, especially after offering a bounty on anyone who brought back the Nein.

He wasn’t a fool to how it might’ve looked to them. Dropping everything for a sign of his friends.

He read and reread Jester’s hasted scrawl.

If her last few messages hadn’t worried him sick, this was the nail in the coffin.

It was next to nonsense. Their friend returned from the grave, something about this Somnovum and the Cognoza… he was aware of the hierarchy of Aeor, but the pieces weren't fitting together, and once she mentioned a floating city and whatever the hell Vokodo was, he was lost again.

“They have information on the excavation sites.” He reasoned Uraya.

“No one is arguing, Master Thelyss.”

“If this is as urgent as it sounds, we can’t waste any time.” He paced across the top of the wall, searching for any signs of his friends.

The explorer Dagen had offered to return out into the wilds, but gods only knew how long he had been traveling, so Essek turned him down.

“Just a few hours rest, right as rain.” The dwarf had promised, and retired to a cot in the barracks.

Essek wished he could have offered more privacy, but Dagen didn’t seem bothered by the array of drow, orc, and goblin forces that had bunkered down.

Hours passed, and scouts began trickling back in empty handed.

“Almost dawn, sir.” Uraya warned.

Essek rolled his eyes. “Then go inside.”

“As you wish, sir.” They turned, and disappeared into a hut.

Essek flicked his wrist, opening the pocket dimension, and retrieved a pair of silver and leather goggles. They weren’t the most… fashionable, but they did the job.

The sun peaked over the ridge where the encampment was tucked against the edge of the crater, bouncing light everywhere.

He put the goggles on, letting his eyes adjust with the light. They tinted the world, but not enough for him to miss the moving spots on the horizon.

“It’s them!” He shouted before he heard the horn blow. He looked over the edge of the wall. “Send a party to meet them! Fetch healers, get room in the barracks!”

People were already bustling through camps, those who were light sensitive also dawning similar goggles in the ever-increasing light.

Essek turned back to the open field of snow between him and the Nein.

A familiar voice rang in his ear. Jester.

“Heyyyy.” She sounded exhausted. “We think we found you, did you get our note? Lucien fucking sucks. We’ve got a crest though, so— so get ready?"

“Jester, I’ve sent scouts. We have healers at the ready. You’re safe.” He replied. _Safe_.

His brow furrowed. No one was safe up here.

He remembered their last conversations in person. The secrets they were keeping to keep each other safe. That they were keeping to keep _him_ safe.

Essek didn’t know who exactly this Lucien guy was. And as he watched the Nein limp slowly into the walls of the outpost, he found himself caring less and less.

Essek and a guard led the group into one of the huts, and deep underground, tucking into a spare room with a dozen or so chairs and large table. the Nein collapsed in the chairs, sitting for the first time in hours.

“Tell me everything.” Essek sat down as well. Two healers entered, laying spells into them.

“We will. In private.” Beau looked up at the half-elf helping her. He didn’t seem offended, just busy in his work.

“Right.” Essek said. “I read your note. Dagen tried filling me in, it’s just so…”

“Weird?” Fjord offered.

“Impossible?” Cad pitched.

“Annoying.” Beau muttered. She accepted a cloth from the healer and wiped the dried blood from her face and neck.

Essek smiled. Gods he missed them. “Yes, any of those.”

He snuck a glance over to Caleb. He was quiet, staring off, deep in thought. He didn’t flinch when the second healer laid her hands on him, muttering spells. A deep gash along his forehead and a myriad of bruises disappeared in seconds.

The healers bowed and excused themselves. Essek followed them to the door, and to the guard he said, “Make sure no one bothers us.”

The guard nodded, and Essek closed the door, muttering an incantation. The lock clicked.

“Alright. We’re alone. What the hell is the Somnovum, and who’s Lucien?”

Eyes went from him to Fjord.

“Are we alone?” Veth asked.

Fjord took a second more, and nodded. “For now.”

Yasha dropped the huge bag she had been carrying.

“Is that—”

“Threshold Crest. Yeah.” Beau said as Yasha dragged a chair to sit right up next to her.

“And you have it… why?”

And Jester, with the help of the others piping in, tell a rather detailed backstory of their time with Molly, and Lucien, and taking Vess’ deal in order to follow him.

“Lucien, he had this journal—” Jester was saying.

“And Vess stole it from him, after killing him—I think—” Beau added.

“Yeah, they were using it in some ritual to bring back the Somnovum. Who are part of this hive mind thingy, and gave Lucien the eye tattoos and really weird powers.” Jester leaned in closer. “Like really weird. He can see things, and cancel magic, and he ‘doesn’t sleep, but dreams.’” Jester finished in a really off-putting accent.

“Interesting.” Essek leaned back. “This journal, Vess still has it?”

They shared a collective look.

“Well—” Veth started. “She’s kinda dead.”

“Dead.” Essek blinked. “How?”

“One of Lucien’s weird powers? Apparently melts people’s brains.” Beau rubbed her eyes. “Caduceus and I got a first-hand experience with that one.”

“Not pleasant.” Cad nodded along.

“Lucien killed her.” Essek blinked again. He had worked with her. Not enough to really understand her power, but enough to not be surprised about this cult business. But to be taken out by this Nonagon…

“And stole the journal back, yeah.” Beau said. “That was the other thing we really need to ask you about.”

She shared a look with Caleb. Essek’s mind jumped to the worst conclusion. “You read the journal didn’t you.”

Beau took her glove off, showing off a bright red eye. “Yeah. We fucked up.”

Essek took her hand, studying the mark. It felt like no scar or tattoo he’d ever come across, and after a second of staring into the intense redness, a chill ran up his back. He let go, stepping away from the monk almost instinctually.

“What, what is it?” Beau stood up.

The drow shook his head. “I—I don’t know. That’s not—” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know.”

“We tried acid,” Veth said. “Caleb tried Detecting Magic, but we couldn’t figure out anything.”

Essek looked back over to Caleb, who hadn’t said a word the entire time.

“You have one too?” He asked softly.

Caleb looked up at him. A familiar expression Essek had seen on other peers’ and students’ of his faces. Ones of regret; of knowing that they knew something they weren’t supposed to. One he was sure he’d had many times himself.

Caleb nodded, and took off his coat, and unbuttoned his shirt. Essek clenched his fist, praying to whatever god was listening that his face wasn’t flush. Caleb pulled down the shoulder of his shirt and showed off an identical eye.

“And these appeared after you read the book?”

“After we went to sleep.” Beau explained. “Dreamed about this huge red eye—”

“Welcoming us.” Caleb muttered and pulled his sleeve back up. He pulled his coat tight around him.

Essek sat back down, trying to piece some of the information together himself. “Wait, but if he killed Vess to get the book back, and the book gave you those marks, why did he let you read it to begin with?”

“We don’t think he knew it would happen.” Caduceus said. “Even after they were marked, Lucien didn’t seem to be aware they had them.”

“Yeah, I mean when we were traveling with him, he wasn’t subtle about why he killed Vess.” Fjord said.

“I can imagine. No offence to this Molly you once knew, but Lucien sounds like a downright prick.”

“None taken.” Beau sighed. “That is a conversation we probably need to have.”

“You think Molly’s really gone?” Veth asked.

Beau shrugged.

“Molly never would have hurt you.” Yasha said. Her hand was on Beau’s thigh, and gave it a small squeeze.

There was a silent moment.

“So… what now?” Veth broke it.

“We zap out the crest, right?” Fjord traced the leather binding on the hilt of the Razor. “At least then it’ll be one less target.”

Caleb nodded. “Where? Yussa?”

“Allura?” Veth suggested. “I guess they work together right? And neither one associates with the Empire or Dynasty. And the Menagerie Coast is pretty out of the way.”

“Do you have a place I can draw a circle?” Caleb looked up at Essek for the first time.

Essek nodded maybe a bit to enthusiastically. “I have space in my private quarters.”

Beau looked at Caduceus. Caduceus looked at Beau. They said nothing.

“But, maybe eat first. I’m sure food is ready by now.” Essek stood and walked to the door. “I will make arrangements, guards will be posted nearby, if these Tomb Takers have followed you, they will not get close. I will be in my chambers when you are ready. Excuse me.”

And in a flurry, the floaty wizard disappeared, closing the door behind him.

“…That was a little weird right?” Beau asked after a moment.

“Yeah.” Cad squinted. “Huh.”

“No guests?” Veth asked Fjord.

Fjord shook his head, but didn’t vanish the Razor. “Lucien’s probably on the move.”

“Caleb?” Veth asked softly as the others started shuffling for their things. “Are you alright?”

Caleb looked at her. His eyes were still bloodshot from the injuries and going so long without sleep.

“Just tired. But you heard the man,” he stood up and clapped his hands. “Let’s eat.”

Veth nodded. “Right.”

The team shuffled out, and the guard still standing there lead them down the tunnel to another large chamber

Inside they were given bowels of stew and a hot drink that the cook shrugged when asked for its contents.

They ate in relative silence, and followed the guard back down the hall, and down a spiraling corridor that ended at a door. He knocked hard thrice, and stepped to the side.

Essek opened the door, and beckoned them in.

The room was strangely warm from being constructed from ice deep below the surface, and Essek had his cloak off. Once the door was shut again, his feet touched the ground.

“Please, make yourselves comfortable. Make your circle, take whatever time you need.”

Caleb nodded, and took his coat off, setting it gently on a chair near the door.

The others wandered into the room.

“You don’t really have much in here.” Beau said next to the simple bed. She poked at the pillow, which was stiff.

“It’s pretty boring up here, to be honest. If I don’t exhaust the spell I actually stay in my own mansion.”

“Ooo,” Veth sat on the bed, trying to bounce on the stiff surface. “Caleb has a spell like that too. I guess he already used that one today—wait, is it still today?”

“I casted it less than twenty-four hours ago, so ja, no cats tonight.” Caleb filled in a bubble of chalk.

“Damn.” Veth said.

“Well, seeing the state you’re in, you all would be welcome in mine.” Essek said. He looked at Jester. “Repay some kindness.”

Jester smiled, and seeing something familiar in it, Essek braced himself for the hug. “Thank you, Essek.”

He eased into the hug and patted her back. She was a considerable degree shorter than him, but he felt himself growing fond of the physical contact that came with knowing her.

He smiled, but there was a look in Fjord’s eye that he couldn’t quite place.

“Right.” Caleb said from the floor. “Yasha?”

The aasimar dropped the crystal on the circle.

“Oh, Jester.” Caleb turned to her.

“Shit.” She looked over at Fjord, who held up empty hands. “Heyyyyy, Yussa. So, big favor. Sending a Threshold Crest to you, some really bad people looking for it. Keep it safe…”

“Four more.” Fjord whispered.

“Ahhh, we love youuuuu!” Jester finished with a shrug.

She closed her eyes as she received the response.

“He said message received. He will hold onto it, study it, the usual wizard-y stuff.”

“I see I’m not the only mage consultant within your reach.” Essek said.

“Nope.” Fjord smiled.

“Everyone we’ve ever meet.” Caduceus nodded. Essek thought back to the negotiations and Jester’s message to the Bright Queen. It had made him cringe then, and it still did now.

Caleb sketched in the last line and in a flash of magic, the crest disappeared.

They waited a moment, and Jester held up her hands.

“Awesome!” She said. “Maybe get Allura? There’s a lot of stuff happening up here in Eiselcross, like, a lot. That astral sea city? Might be up here—”

Fjord shook his head.

“Damn.” She snapped her fingers. “Well. He got it.”

“One less piece off the board.” Caleb rubbed the remains of the used chalk into his fingers.

The group let out a collective sigh.

“Maybe, you should call it a night.” Essek clapped his hands. “When was the last time you rested, slept?”

They all looked at each other.

“When we had the dream.” Beau said. Caleb nodded.

“’Bout two days.” Veth confirmed. “I think.”

Essek pulled a silver mirror, a granite stone, and a tiny piece of parchment rolled and tied with twine.

“If it’s privacy you need, from this fellow who ‘sees things,’” Essek laid the items on the floor. “I have a place that might just help.”

The others muttered among themselves for the few minutes it took to cast, but once done a dark stone door appeared from the mirror, and Essek pushed it open.

The Nein entered, and were greeted with a familiar foyer.

“Is this your house, Essek?” Veth asked, looking around.

“Somewhat.” Essek said. “The spell of course has limitations, but it is familiar.”

“Okay…” Veth clenched her teeth.

Essek looked down at the halfling. “Is something wrong with my house?”

“No, of course not.” She threw up her hands. “It’s just with Caleb’s tower, it was a bit more… creative?”

“I’m sorry to disappoint.” Essek was deadpan.

“No, nothing’s wrong with that, this is nice.” Veth said. She entered deeper into the room. “Stairs?”

“What about them?”

“Well in Caleb’s tower—”

“Veth,” Caleb came up behind Essek. “Maybe tone it down a bit.”

“Well, the guy’s floating everywhere, you’d think if anyone made flying the main mode of transport in their personal dimension it’d be him.”

Caleb sighed, but followed her in anyway.

“Please, explore, make yourselves at home, I do have some duties to finish here, but I will return shortly.” Essek retreated back out into the chamber before they could ask any questions.

“Shit.” He muttered. Things were moving too fast. They weren’t telling him everything. And now he was sure these cultists would come after them, crest or not, if they figure Beau and Caleb might be a threat like Derogna was. But threat to what, exactly? Was there really a ritual? And to what endgame?

Bring back the city? The people of Aeor? Was he getting all that?

His own scouting parties have reported similar sightings of people trapped in time deep, deep within the ruins. But they had to dig to get to them, and even then, the magic holding them, while he couldn’t see it himself, was extraordinarily powerful magic.

He found himself floating up through the tunnels directing people here and there. Uraya and his other assistants knew how to reach him, and the guards’ rounds were set for the night. They all knew to look for the purple tiefling and his companions, to report all unusual activates right too his second in command. Everything should be fine.

Should be.

He returned to the portal door, and pushed it open. The foyer was empty, snowy boots left to dry near the door.

He wandered the halls stopping at the kitchen. Caduceus, Beau, Yasha and Fjord were there, watching the spectral servants prepare foods. The servants were drow in shape, ranging in age and genders, but were a translucent swirl of deep silvers and purples.

“Tea?” Caduceus offered.

“In a moment, where are the others?”

“Veth and Jester are still wandering around, I think Caleb is in the library?” Fjord was sitting at the table, sipping his own tea. The Star Razor still out.

Essek nodded. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. If you don’t see me again this evening, quarters are on the third and fourth floor, my own are on the fifth. Claim whatever spaces you wish, what’s mine is yours.”

“Thank you.” Caduceus bowed his head. there was a certain twinkle in his eye, but honestly, Essek thought, when wasn’t there.

The other three thanked him, and he nodded, taking his leave towards the library.

It was not nearly as grand as the three-story salon Caleb made, but it was still grand in its own way.

Black stone made up the bookshelves and orbs of silver light floated around, one or two started following him as he entered. He glanced around the space, and there was a cluster of orbs over one of the chairs. He crossed to it.

“Caleb?” Essek tapped the ginger man on the shoulder.

Caleb jumped a mile from the chair, spinning around. A book was clutched in one hand and his other was set ablaze.

“ _Scheisse_.” His hand extinguished. “Sorry. Been a bit on edge.”

“No, I shouldn’t have snuck up on you.” He looked at the cover of the book. It was a very basic beginner’s guide to Dunamancy. “You already know most of that.”

“It was the first one I pulled from the shelf.”

Essek nodded. “It was my first too, my first study into magic as a whole. It’s very precious to me.”

Caleb sat back down. Essek rounded the chair and sat across from him. The orbs of light swirled around the gently.

“It’s a beautiful library.” Caleb said.

“Veth has me second guessing.”

“Don’t let her get to you. She does that. A lot.” He sighed.

“It’s endearing. She cares about you greatly.” Essek sunk into the chair. “Sometimes I wonder if I had not made the mistakes I had, I might have had people care for me, for me to care for.”

Caleb chuckled. “If there is hope for me, there is hope for you yet, my friend.”

His words from Nicodranas echoed in Essek’s mind.

“Right.” Essek cleared his throat.

They sat for a moment. Giggling echoed from the corridor Essek came from, followed by a loud _Pop!_

The two wizards shared a look, and Caleb chuckled, smiling for the first time in ages. Essek smiled at the sound.

“Miss us?” Caleb joked.

“In the way one misses a rowdy puppy. I know you have been running, and you need to rest, but these marks—”

“Gods, don’t say it.” Caleb looked away.

“Say what?” So he was avoiding him. The knot in Essek’s belly moved up into his chest.

“That we’re hypocrites. Beau, and I,” Caleb sat the book down on a small table. One of the orbs floated off. “After finding out what you had done, scolded you for your ambitions… We turned right around and stared right into the void. Our hubris bit us right on the arse.”

“The thought had crossed my mind. But I’m in no position to judge either. I,” He scoffed. “Well, honestly I don’t know what I’d done. Tell myself I’d stay away from the book, but I know that probably wouldn’t have stopped me from peaking.”

“We didn’t know it would happen so fast.”

“There has to be a way to remove them.”

“Vess died, and her tattoos were still there. I don’t think so.”

Essek shifted to the edge of the chair. He wanted to reach forward, take Caleb’s hand, but he stopped himself. “Veth said you studied them, for a moment. What did you glean?”

“I just saw the eye from the dream. I—I couldn’t do anything else.” Caleb shook his head.

“Okay,” he nodded. “Well, I’ve never seen this journal, or anything with the Somnovum, maybe I can glean something.”

Caleb shook his head. “No. Even just coming to you is asking too much. If you get caught up in this web, if Lucien sees you as a threat—”

“I can’t help if I don’t know anything,” Essek’s weight was more on his legs than on the chair at this point. His heart was racing. “I trust you all to push me back if I overstep. But I want to help, Caleb. You don’t need to do this alone.”

Caleb looked into his eyes for a moment. Essek reached out and gently took Caleb’s hand, giving it a little squeeze.

He let go, feeling Caleb tense up.

“I’m sorry.” Essek stood up. “I’m sorry. The others are in the kitchen—”

Caleb grabbed his arm before he could cross to the door.

“Essek, wait.”

Essek turned.

Caleb let go. “I do want your help. Stay?”

Essek nodded.

They sat back down. Caleb turned in the chair, pulling his shirt down again to reveal the red eye on his shoulder.

Essek took a deep breath, and put his hands over the mark, and whispered the spell.

Caleb watch Essek cast the familiar detect magic, and after a moment, Essek’s eyes rolled back.

The drow fell backwards out of the chair, panting.

“Light above, what the _fuck_ was that?” Essek scrambled up.

“What? Did you see it? The eye?”

Essek shook his head. “There was just. Darkness. It was so cold. Screaming. Thousands of voices just… screaming.”

“But nothing else? No hints to how to rid it… tap into it?”

“No,” Essek said. He took a deep breath, rubbing the screams out of his temples. “Nothing.”

Caleb cursed.

“I’m so sorry, Caleb. I couldn’t even imagine…”

“No, don’t worry about it. It was a long shot anyway.”

Essek stood back up and straightened his shirt. “I, I’m going to fetch some tea from the kitchen, if you’re not planning on retiring soon.”

“Probably not at all, to be honest.”

“You’ve been up for days—”

“And I haven’t dreamt again, have I?” Caleb stood as well, and paced to one of the bookshelves. “If sleeping is the link to the Somnovum, I’ll take my chances.”

“Or the book is the link—Caleb if you don’t sleep, you’re going to get yourself killed.”

Caleb shot a look over his shoulder at Essek.

“I see,” Essek said. “Well. I’ll still get some tea. We can brainstorm.”

Essek returned to the kitchen but it seems the crew had moved elsewhere. A new ceramic pot sat at the counter, and without a word a specter poured two cups and handed them to Essek.

“Thank you,” he said. The specter nodded and vanished into a floating orb, drifting up towards the ceiling.

Caleb was on the floor, papers and books scattered about. Essek handed him the cup, which he sipped and set down behind him out of the way.

“What are you working on?”

“Notes from Halas’. I had some materials, but they were stolen with the bag of holding.” Caleb rubbed his eyes. “I just don’t know where to go from here. I’ve got too much going on inside my head.”

“You know what would help there, right?”

Caleb looked up from behind his fingers.

“Sleep.”

Caleb rolled his eyes. “No.”

“Caleb.” Essek pushed some of the notes aside and sat right in front of him. “You’d rather die than succumb to this entity. But you don’t know if that’s what will happen. What we do know is that staying awake will make you sloppy. You will mess up. You will get your friends hurt.”

“I’m not a fool.”

“You know I’m right.” Essek straightened up.

“It’s not a chance I can take.”

“Maybe I can help.”

Caleb cocked his head, looking Essek up and down. “How?”

“It might be a longshot, but maybe, if I adjust some components…” He stood up and wandered to a shelf, pulling down a book and flipping though. “Yes. If the dreams are the cause, then just a minor shift here, and some… yes.”

He smacked the book closed, and crossed over to a desk, scribbling down the notes of the spliced spells.

Caleb followed him and looked over his shoulder.

“Modify…” Caleb pieced Essek’s plan together. “No—”

Caleb stepped back, kicking the teacup. He cursed, scooping up the physical notes, not bothering with the mansion’s books, which would be clean the next time the dimension popped into existence.

Essek turned, ink in hand. “What’s wrong?”

“I see what you’re trying to do, modify memory with a dash of feeble mind, it makes sense on paper—I can’t. I can’t, Essek.” Caleb’s knuckles were white gripping the papers. He stared at the teacup, still tipped over.

Essek slowly put the ink down on the desk, and with his hands raised, stepped forward. With a snap of his fingers, the spill revered back into the cup. Essek picked up the now-again full cup and set it out of the way.

“Caleb, you know I’d never do anything to hurt you,” Essek said gently.

“I, I know. And Jes said the same thing. Just, oh gods.”

Gently and carefully as he could, Essek took the papers from Caleb. “Let’s sit.”

Caleb let Essek direct him back towards the chair, and once he was sitting Frumpkin hopped up from nowhere onto his lap, purring louder than any normal cat should.

Essek sat back in his own seat. Caleb stared just a little past him, eyes furrowed, deep in thought.

“Caleb.” Essek said after a moment.

Caleb looked at him, almost startled to see him still there. “Sorry, what?”

“You don’t have to tell me, but, what happened?”

He thought for a moment, and Essek was afraid he was going to space out again, worried he’d step too far.

“The others know.” Caleb sighed. “You are bound to find out. Pieces anyway.”

Essek waved his hand, and floating orbs picked up the teacups, setting one closer to himself, and the other next to Caleb, who eyed it but didn’t touch it.

“You already know I have a past as a Scourger. Trent trained us.”

Essek nodded.

“His training included… manipulations. I hurt—killed, people I loved, because of what he did to my mind. And once I realized what I had done, it broke me. I don’t remember, really. But I was a danger to myself and my classmates. But rather than kill me, or try to help… Trent took my mind. I was locked away. A decade of my life,” He snapped his fingers. “Gone.”

“You escaped.”

“I did. Crazy old woman cleared me up, and I ran. I hid for years, met Veth and the rest of the Nein.”

“And you’ve delt with Trent since.” Essek sighed. “I knew that man was scum, but that’s…”

“ _Ja_.” Caleb picked up the teacup and just held it. Frumpkin chirped, and circled on his lap.

“I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

“It’s in the past.”

“That’s clearly debatable.” Essek looked Caleb up and down. He always took him to be a reserved man, but he had seen the pride on his face when they finished the transmorgrification spell, the determination when Essek confessed to his crimes… Caleb sitting before him now was hardly more than the resonant echo he taught the man so many months ago.

“So now you know,” Caleb’s head was bowed. Some of his hair came loose from its knot, shielding his eyes.

Essek stood up and crossed over to the desk shuffling the papers.

“What are you doing?”

“Putting this away. I’m not going to be the one to make you relive these traumas.”

“Wait,” Caleb stood suddenly, sending the fey cat dropping to the ground with an annoyed mew.

Essek looked back at Caleb, papers in a neat stack.

“You think this could help? Stop the dreams?”

“Not if it does more harm than good.”

“Then we build in a failsafe,” Caleb said like it was the most obvious thing. “We’ve created crazier magics, modifying this is a walk in the park.”

“Are you sure?” The shift in character threw Essek off. It’s not like he didn’t understand though, his drive to work fabrics of reality and manipulate magic as they knew it was what first drew him to Caleb.

Caleb nodded, and joined him at the desk. Essek spread the papers back out.

He became acutely aware of how close Caleb was, their shoulders brushing as he reached for the inkwell, studying what Essek had already scrawled out.

“Alright,” Essek cleared his throat. “Let’s start then.”

They worked for a few hours; it was easy enough to adjust the spells into one thing to use. Now, it was a matter of testing it.

Essek doublechecked and triple-checked the work.

“You’re sure?” Essek asked.

Caleb nodded. “I know what you’re doing. I trust you. And even if something happened the others will know how to fix me up.”

Essek nodded. “Where, ah,” His voice caught and he took a sip of cold tea. “Where would you like to bed down for the evening?”

“You have guest chambers, no?”

“Well, certainly, but I don’t know where your friends are staying, we’d have more privacy in my chambers, if you’d like.”

Caleb thought for a moment. “A guest room should suffice.”

Essek nodded and lead the way, once again hoping the heat on his cheeks wasn’t obvious.

He drifted up the stairs onto the third floor, and knocked on the first door.

Veth opened the door after a moment, rubbing sleep from her eyes. “Yeah?”

“Oh, sorry. Do you know which room everyone’s in?” Essek asked.

Veth shrugged. “Beau and Yasha went upstairs, Cad’s in there… I think Fjord and Jes are upstairs too?”

“Thank you. Sleep well.” Essek bowed.

Veth almost closed the door before spotting Caleb.

“Hey, Caleb!” She called out to him. “Did you want to room together? Sleep watch?”

Caleb held up his notes. “Not tonight. Got a few theories to run.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “Try to sleep eventually, okay?”

“ _Ja_.” Caleb said and Veth closed the door.

“Shall we?” Essek motioned towards the third door on the floor, the one seemingly unoccupied. Caleb nodded and Essek pushed the door open. Much like the rest of the mansion, it was sparsely decorated, with soft grey walls, a black stone fireplace, some chairs, a table, and a huge bed.

They laid the notes across the bed, and Essek sat crisscross at the head.

“Alright.” Essek said. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Caleb nodded, and pulled off his outer clothes and armors, setting them in a neat pile on the table. he pulled his hair from the tie, letting it fall over his shoulders.

He crossed back to the bed, sitting on the edge.

“I will warn you, it’s been a few days and a dragon since I’ve had a proper bath.”

“Dragon?”

“Don’t worry about it, she’s long gone.” Caleb laid down, his head in Essek’s lap.

Essek looked down at him for a moment, studying the way his hair fell over Essek’s legs, how it shined like fire, his eyes…

“Everything alright?” Caleb snapped him out.

“Yes,” Essek scrambled for the papers. “Just relax. Remember the safe measure, if I can’t tell if something’s off, you can knock yourself out of it at any time.”

Caleb nodded. “Right.”

Essek put his hands on the sides of Caleb’s face. “Ready?”

Caleb looked up at him. They both knew there was a level of nervousness between them for a hundred different reasons, but all the same Caleb nodded again, and closed his eyes. “Yes.”

Essek shifted his thumbs over Caleb’s eyes, and began the chant.

Immediately Caleb sucked in a short breath, but as the spell continued, he relaxed, and once Essek finished the chant, his breathing had steadied, and he was asleep.

Essek sighed. It worked. All that was left was hold the concentration for a few hours, save nothing bad happening.

With a thought a few orbs floated into the room and soft music began to play. He watched the fireplace crack, but didn’t let his mind drift to far for fear of breaking concentration.

Hours passed, eventually Essek found his mind wavering from his own need for sleep, and he dropped the spell.

He was afraid he had to wake Caleb up himself but his eyes fluttered open, slightly dazed.

“How do you feel?” Essek asked.

Caleb blinked, still upside-down to him.

“How long was that?” He asked.

“Maybe four hours?” Essek shrugged. “I lost track.”

“That’s fine. Can you let me up?”

Essek felt his face grow flush as he realized his hands were still on Caleb’s face.

Once Caleb was up, Essek jumped from the bed.

“Well, I’m glad I could help. Goodnight—”

“Essek, gods above will you slow down?” Caleb called.

Essek stopped, his hand on the doorknob.

“Yes?” He didn’t turn around.

“Do you—did something happen, why are you leaving so suddenly?”

“I have other responsibilities; I really should get going.”

Caleb’s hand appeared over his on the doorknob. “Stay.”

Essek looked up at him. His voice barely came out. “What?”

“I shouldn’t, can’t, be alone tonight. Please.”

Essek bit the inside of his cheek.

 _Don’t act a fool._ He warned himself.

“You have Veth, the others—”

“Beau is the only one with a fraction of understanding.” Caleb’s voice dropped into a harsh whisper against Essek’s neck. “You heard them.”

Essek swallowed hard. He had heard them. The effect of these marks, it had shaken him, and he was barely glancing through the glass, he wasn’t within the case.

“Okay.” He let Caleb lead his hand off of the door, and back towards the bed.

“Just lay with me. Nothing more, I promise.” Caleb stopped at the bed, piling the papers and setting them on the table.

“Okay.” Essek’s mind raced.

_Too late._

Caleb laid on the bed, getting under the soft blankets as Essek took off his own outerwear and set them on the empty chair.

Cautiously, he laid beside the wizard.

The light from the orbs and fireplace dimmed.

“You can relax a bit.” Caleb muttered.

“Right.” Essek replied, making no changes to how stiff he lay.

Caleb shifted in bed. “Fuck, I’m sorry. You don’t have to stay, if this is too weird, I can go wake Veth—”

“Just give me a moment.” Essek shifted. He bumped Caleb, apparently unaware how close they were in the bed. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Caleb’s words were even closer.

Essek rolled onto his side, and Caleb was quiet.

“I thought you should know,” Caleb started. “When we first came up here, and Jester found out you were up here, we didn’t know if we could trust you. I, most of all.”

“I understand.” Essek sighed.

“I’m not finished. Last night, we were trying to figure out what to do, and Caduceus communed with his goddess, the Wildmother.”

Essek was quiet. He didn’t roll over, but glanced over at Caleb, who was facing away from him.

“He asked if you really did want to help. If we could trust you. He said… her answer was a star. Familiar… Safe.”

“Oh.”

“I know you aren’t religious, but the Wildmother has helped us, a lot, honestly. I just thought you should know. Even if we—if I seem distant, we know.”

He wasn’t sure how long it took him to fall asleep, but a bumping woke him right back up.

He shot up from the bed, looking around the dark room.

“Caleb?” He whispered, noticing the empty space beside him.

Bump. Bump.

Caleb stood at the door, knocking into it.

Essek got out of bed, and crossed to him. “Caleb, are you okay?”

His eyes were glazed over, like he was in a trance. Essek touched his shoulder. No response.

“Okay…” Essek walked to his other side, and through the fabric could see the faint red glow from the eye. “Uhh…”

Caleb bumped into the door again.

Not knowing what else to do, Essek opened the door.

Caleb shuffled out of the room. Essek followed.

“Caleb, snap out of it.” Essek waved his hand in front of Caleb’s face. Was this a side effect of the spell he cast? Was it just the mark? Both?

His worse fear was relieved when Caleb headed towards the stairs heading up instead of down. At least he wasn’t trying to leave the mansion.

He followed him up, and watched him bump into another guest room door.

Essek kicked himself but snapped his fingers and the door opened, Caleb entered.

He peaked in the room, it was essentially identical to all the other guest rooms, but this one was littered with Yasha’s and Beau’s things.

Yasha was standing by the fireplace, a blanket wrapped around herself, and she was draping one over the crouched figure of Beau.

She looked up and jumped at Caleb and Essek’s appearance, but Caleb just dropped next to Beau, looking at whatever she was doing.

“What the hell?” Yasha hissed.

Essek shook his head. “I don’t know, I woke up to this too! What are they doing?”

Yasha looked down over Beau and cursed. She swooped down and snatched a notebook and pencil from Beau’s hand. The second she did, both Beau and Caleb collapsed.

Yasha slammed the notebook closed.

“Did this happen last time?” Essek asked. Yasha shook her head.

“Well, she was drawing, but it was after she woke up, not this… sleepwalking shit.” Yasha looked at the book in her hands. “I should destroy this.”

Essek nodded. Yasha adjusted her blanket and stepped towards the fireplace, but Beau’s hand shot out, grabbing her ankle.

“Noooo.” Beau’s voice wavered with an echo of… something else.

Yasha looked back at Essek with fear in her eyes. He stepped forward, first pulling Caleb’s limp body away, and then looked back at the two women. The two… mostly naked women.

“What do I do?” He asked.

Yasha rolled her eyes. “Hold this.”

Essek took Beau’s notebook from her, and Yasha pulled Beau’s hand from her ankle, and scooped her up. She gently placed Beau on the bed, keeping her wrapped snuggly in the blanket.

She returned to him, and held out her hand for the book. He handed it over without hesitation. He didn’t want to be near that thing.

“I know she has other notes in here, but I don’t think we can risk looking through it.” She said softly.

“Agreed.”

Yasha nodded, and tossed the book into the fire.

All at once Caleb and Beau shot up from their trance-like state.

“Fuck!” Beau shouted. She bit her lip hard, grabbing her head, pulling at the circlet woven into her hair. “Fuck—No!”

Yasha leapt to her side, scooping her up and holding her tight. “Hey, hey, Beau, I’m here—”

Essek’s attention was on Caleb. He dropped to his knees, and grabbed Caleb’s balled up fists. Neither one of them were very strong, but in that moment Essek was nearly knocked off balance trying to keep his friend from hitting himself.

Tears streamed down Caleb’s face and when he took a breath Essek saw blood staining his teeth, biting down on his tongue, stopping himself from screaming.

“Caleb. Caleb!” Essek snapped.

No response. He looked back at Yasha, who wasn’t having any other luck, and to the fireplace where the notebook still burned.

“What’s going on?” Fjord shouted, entering with his blade drawn. Jester and Caduceus jumped in right after him, and judging by the cursing from outside, Veth was close behind.

“We heard yelling…” Caduceus trailed off and beelined to Beau. “What happened?”

“We were sleeping, and she just got up and started scribbling in her notebook.” Yasha explained. She had Beau’s hand’s restrained with one hand, and her other hand held the monk’s head to her chest. She was still sobbing and trying to break free but Yasha held strong. “Then Caleb came in—I burned the book, and this happened.”

There was a sudden sharp pain as Caleb pulled one hand free and socked Essek right on his nose, knocking him off balance. He fell backwards, but Fjord and Jester were right there holding him.

Veth was saying something, and held onto Caleb as well, petting his hair as he lashed out.

“What do we do?” Fjord shouted to no one in particular.

Holding his nose with one hand, Essek twisted around and pointed at the fireplace. All of a sudden, the fire blasted into a hellish inferno, but Essek didn’t dare look away from the painful light until the notebook was complete ash.

The yelling stopped.

Yasha let go of Beau’s hands but held her close while Caduceus checked her over.

Essek turned back towards Caleb. His hair covered his face, sticking to his cheeks.

“What the fuck?” Fjord demanded.

Caleb shook his head.

“I saw it again.” Beau said. “The city. The eyes. They wanted more. Needed more. Need more.”

“No new eyes.” Caduceus sat back. “Did you hurt yourself?”

Beau nodded. “I don’t know if it was just me though.”

Without another word Caduceus’ gentle energy pulled the pain from her temples.

Jester didn’t even ask questions, just did the same for Caleb.

Fjord stood up and held out his hand to Essek. “You okay?”

Essek nodded. “Took me by surprise mostly.”

“Luckily you were still awake.” Yasha said. “Catching Caleb so fast.”

“Right.” Essek said.

“What were you doing up so late?” Beau asked. She was calmer, her face mostly dried, but she sat nestled into Yasha like it was the only place she should be in that moment.

“I actually was asleep. I heard something bumping around. Turned out it was Caleb knocking into things. Sleepwalking.”

She squinted her eyes at him. It wasn’t a lie, mostly.

“Wait if he was sleepwalking, how’d he open doors?” Veth asked. “Yeza had a bout of sleepwalking once, right after Luc was born. Couldn’t figure out most doors when he was asleep.”

“Ah—” Essek looked at Caleb. “I—”

“He was with me.” Caleb said. He wiped a smear of blood from his mouth onto his sleeve.

Essek clenched his jaw. He felt the others share looks.

“You—” Veth stammered, “what?”

“We were working on a spell,” Caleb said. “I got a few hours of sleep. But I guess it didn’t last.”

“Better than me.” Beau said. “I feel like I just drifted off.”

Eyes were on Essek expectedly.

“What spell?” Caduceus asked.

“A creation of ours, sort of.” Essek sat in one of the open chairs. He rubbed his throbbing nose. “You hit hard.”

“Sorry.”

“Clearly there’s some link with dreaming and this Somnovum,” Essek explained. “So, I canceled the dreaming, without taking away the sleeping. However, I can’t exactly preform it for the entire eight hours.”

“Still something.” Beau said. “But what’s with that look?”

Caleb looked between her and back at Veth. “It worked, that’s all that matters.”

Veth’s blue tattoo shimmered as she squinted at him. “Okay.”

“Can Jes or Caduceus do it?” Beau asked.

“If you are familiar with modify memory spells, I could teach you the rest.”

A pregnant pause hung in the air.

Veth and Caleb whispered something back and fourth, and Beau shot a glare at Essek.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” She snapped.

“What?” Essek scoffed. “I was trying to help!”

“Did Caleb tell you about Trent?” Beau was climbing out of Yahsa’s lap. Essek scrambled out of the chair and backed away from her, but bumped into something that was definitely not the wall.

Fjord rested his hand on Essek’s shoulder, and Essek could feel the radiating cold of the Star Razor too close to his back for comfort.

Beau grabbed a handful of his shirt, getting close to his face. Her left eye was also discolored, but before Essek could think any further about that, her fist was raised.

“Stop!” Caleb’s voice boomed against the empty walls.

Beau’s fist stopped, but she didn’t pull back.

“You suddenly trust him so much?” She snapped.

“I do.” Caleb stood up. “Now more than ever.”

“As do I.” Yasha said. She rested a hand on Beau’s shoulder. “I handed him the notebook. He didn’t look.”

Beau scoffed, and rolled her eyes, but dropped him nonetheless. Fjord let go wordlessly.

“Fuckin’…wildmother shit...” She whispered under her breath. She looked between Caleb and Caduceus. “You know those commune questions are so… ambiguous, you know?”

“We do.” Caduceus nodded.

“Besides. If Essek wanted to fuck with my head, he had a great opportunity to spin this spell however he wished.” Caleb leaned against the fireplace, Frumpkin paced across its mantle. “But he didn’t. I’m still here. Mostly.”

“I would never, I couldn’t—” Essek stammered. He stopped. “I, I knew you probably hadn’t believed me in Nicodranas, but I do care deeply. For all of you.”

He looked over the group, landing on Caleb.

He couldn’t read the wizard’s expression. He didn’t expect to, honestly. After all the mixed messages he had been getting, after the excitement of the past half-hour and what Essek knew now, Caleb was the last person to be very expressive.

“The rest of you should get some sleep.” Caleb didn’t break eye contact. “Beau, Essek and I can try and decipher some of this madness.”

“Are you sure?” Fjord asked. His blade was gone from his hand. “Some of us have rested some, more heads to think—”

Caleb shook his head. “Actually, do what you want. I need a moment. Alone.”

Fjord nodded, and stepped away from the door. “We’ll check on you in a bit.”

Caleb waved his hand in response as he disappeared back down the stairs, leaving the rest to plan.

Essek was physically preset, but more than the days past he felt his mind being pulled away from the conversation towards Caleb.

But more than worry crept upon him, the memory of the Somnovum echoed in his mind. The thousands of screams.

And the two new that joined their ranks.


	2. Woops! Too much Angst!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 8000ish word fic continues. Will it make sense? Will anything hold up to canon in less than 12 hours? Is it real angsty and mildly worry some for having wrote it at 3 AM instead of doing my homework that's due in a few hours? Let's find out!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But seriously I just started typing and things happened. Read this bit or don't, I wrote everything I had wanted to in the first part, I'm just continuing this bit of narrative. Heck, might delete this particular chapter after tonight's episode, who know. But fair warning if the tags don't carry over (Idk I'm new here): Some references to self harm, though nothing explicitly described, or spoken. Feel free to comment if that warning should change, but please, friends, take care of yourselves.

“So we’re in agreement? For now, at least?” Caduceus straightened up.

Essek snapped back into the present. “Sorry, what?”

“Gods.” Beau rolled her eyes. She shimmied to the edge of the bed, leaning forward to talk to Essek like he was a child. “We’re going to contact our people in the Cobalt Soul. You’re gonna talk to your people. We’re all gonna dig up as much on Aeor as we possibly can, any hints or fingers to point us at what sort of magic is at the core of this thing, now that we’ve seen some of the shit Lucien’s done.”

Essek nodded. “Of course. I’ll have some favors to exchange, some bribes, but I’ll see what we can uncover. It may not be very quick, unfortunately.”

“We’ve hit a few roadblocks, yeah.” Beau nodded. She looked at the group still in the room. “Well, Yasha and I are still a little naked, if you can give us a minute.”

They all excused themselves awkwardly and made their ways to their own rooms, gathering their belongings.

So much for an easy night, Essek grimaced as Fjord passed him, stretching and yawning loudly as he followed Jester across the hall to another guest room.

A large but soft hand touched his shoulder. Essek looked up to see the firbolg looking down with a smile.

“Don’t let Beau’s words dig too much,” he said. “She’s just worried about her friends. About Caleb.”

Essek watched Veth eye him as she passed, never breaking eye-contact until she disappeared beyond the stairs.

“I just don’t know what to do.” Essek sighed. “I want to help. Right my wrongs somehow, prove my loyalty. How?”

Caduceus tapped his fingers along Essek’s shoulder, pondering. He tilted his head, deep in thought.

“I think your best bet is to just follow our lead,” he said eventually. “It’s scary, right now. Now more than ever, we’re running blind. Honestly, we have been since Lucien killed Vess. Caleb had plans, we had some sense of some vague direction, if nothing else we had a way to seek information for what he wanted to accomplish with the Assembly.”

“Honestly, it’s almost a comfort to hear you admit that.” Essek chuckled. “I can deal with chaos when I see it. Damage control… Well, we’re still here, aren’t we?”

“Indeed,” Caduceus’ hand dropped off his shoulder.

“Just follow your lead?” Essek repeated. “So strange… I’ve been working alone so long, acting on my own, taking orders from my peers…”

“We aren’t just your peers, Essek.” Caduceus leaned against the wall nearest the stairs. “As I’ve said, I don’t speak for the group, but even then, they can admit we were friends once. That bridge hasn’t burnt just yet.”

Essek nodded, and Caduceus straightened up, and began to leave. He paused about three steps down.

“Oh, and Essek?”

Essek returned from his thousand-yard stare at the wall where Caduceus had been standing.

“Yes?”

“Whatever you choose to do, whatever, “orders” you decide to follow,” Caduceus looked up and down the stairs, beyond where Essek could see from the middle of the hallway. “Be gentle with Caleb. I’d hate to see his heart break further.”

Caduceus nodded, satisfied with his own words, and left Essek with his thoughts.

“Shit.” Essek muttered. He rubbed his eyes. He needed to check in with Uraya, doublecheck the wards around the outpost…

A million more duties swarmed his mind as he waited to hear a door close downstairs, before following down and knocking on Caleb’s door.

“That wasn’t a very long break, Fjor— oh.” Caleb pulled the door open.

“My things.” Essek started. “I left them in here. I understand the plan is to get right to work, researching.”

His voice caught in his throat.

Caleb nodded. He stepped out of the way, letting the door swing open fully.

More parchment and books were scattered about, Essek noted that the leather harness Caleb kept his books on was on the floor, one of its latches broken.

“Everything… alright?” Essek nodded towards the harness and its missing contents.

Caleb paused from tying his hair back. “What? Oh. Right. Must’ve gotten worn out. Gods only know how it lasted this long, frankly.”

He scooped up the harness, flicking the busted silver buckle.

“Allow me.” Essek circled a glyph around the metal, and a bit more aggressively than he anticipated, the snap jerked back into place. _Okay…_ “All better.”

Essek nodded at his handiwork and turned to his things, lacing up his boots, pulling on his many layers, and swinging his cloak over his shoulder.

"I have many people to check in on. I’ll be leaving guards outside my chambers, they will escort you to my study where we will hopefully crack some of these mysteries.”

“Right.” Caleb still looked at the harness.

Essek sucked in a breath. Should he push it, or let it go?

What the hell did Caduceus mean, be gentle, was he really that obvious?

 _Must be_. Essek gathered, and sighed.

“Is something the matter?” He asked. “Beyond the obvious looming threats.”

“Obvious…” Caleb echoed. He shook his head and dropped the harness on the bed. “No. Nothing. Go do your shadowhand thing, I’ll be out with the others in a bit.”

Essek nodded, and drifted out of the mansion.

“It’s nearly dusk, Master Thelyss.” Uraya commented at his arrival.

“And yet you seem to have everything in order.” Essek looked around the bleak room. it wasn’t nearly as finely carved as some of the other spaces, but it was large enough. Secure enough.

“Yessir.” They said, dipping their head. “No sign of these Tomb Takers, no word of any travelers, at all.”

“At all?” Essek turned to them.

They shook their head. “The scouting parties all returned, no sightings.”

“None?” Essek flipped through the reports. “Not even a yeti? Light above, they fought a dragon, and no one’s seen that?”

“No sir, it might’ve gone south?” Uraya shrugged. “Sir, I can assure you, the wards are in place, everything is fine.”

Essek shook his head. Something was off. He exited the room, tracing sigils below his cloak.

Above ground it seemed he wasn’t the only one who could feel it.

Nothing _looked_ out of place, mercs and hunters roamed here and there, a few scholars paused to acknowledge him as they passed, but there was a tension in the evening air.

He floated to the top of the wall, dawning the goggles as he went. With the sun now directly against him, shadows and lights danced across the plains, creating shapes of creatures and illusions he couldn’t quite place. He quickly took them off again, squinting into the light.

“Can you see anything?” He asked the half-elf scout beside him. “Damn goggles never worked at twilight.”

“No sir, quite as it’s ever been.”

Essek scoffed. “Quieter than it’s ever been.”

“If you say so sir.” The woman shrugged. Essek looked over at her. She wore dark furs, and carried a nasty looking saber on her hip. Essek wasn’t the best at keeping track of everyone in the outpost, but he was sure he’d remember such an off-putting individual.

“Sorry, I know most folks up here don’t care for pleasantries, but I don’t believe I’ve seen you before?” Essek squinted in the light. He couldn’t quite focus on her face.

“No complaints here, sir.” She shifted on her heels. “Rather be on the wall than out in the Wilds anyhow.”

“Ironically I wished my duties hadn’t restricted me to stay here.”

“Stir crazy?”

“Perhaps.” Essek shrugged. “I came here to study Aeor. Not that what the teams bring back aren’t amazing…”

“But it ain’t the real thing.” She leaned against the wooden spikes lining the top of the wall, sighing. “Those ruins. Nothin’ in all of Exandria like them. Massive, they are. Scary too. Plenty of traps, creatures that’ll snatch y’ up without a warning.”

“Thrilling, I’m sure.” Essek remembered the Nein asking him to bamph them to the dragon’s layer, or twice to catch up with that demon Oban and the Laughing Hand. All the stories of how they dove headfirst into danger without so much of a second thought.

“Seem troubled sir.”

“In more ways you can imagine.” Essek looked back over the plain. The sun was dipping below the horizon now, bathing the snow in deep reds and purples. The dancing shadows he was seeing through the goggles before were now gone. Figures. He was working himself up over nothing. Of course, things in the camp were tense, they were before all this mess that the Nein dragged back with them.

“I’d best be heading off then.” Essek turned. “Don’t tire yourself out up here.”

“Oh, sir.” The half-elf called. “I think I see something.”

Essek turned to look to where she was pointing, right as his feet touched the snow. He stumbled at the sudden yank of gravity, right into the scout.

In a flash, she twisted him around, kicking his knee in to drop him even lower, her blade against his neck.

Refexivly, he muttered a spell, expecting to blink and be safe on the ground below, but nothing happened.

The woman grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling him closer to her, holding the blade tight to his throat.

“Ah, and you must be the mysterious Essek.” A foreign voice echoed in his head. Essek looked around the snow wall for its source, but saw nothing. He snapped his fingers, but that spell failed completely too.

“Shhhhh…” the half-elf whispered into his ear. He felt the edge of the blade glide effortlessly across skin, a small warm trickle of blood dripped down into his furs.

“I wouldn’t try anything, Crick.” Lucien stepped into the light. His red eyes glowed in the fading light, and his smirk was a scummy as Essek had imagined.

The tiefling knelt down to meet his eye.

“Where are they?” It was not a question, but a demand.

Essek swallowed hard. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

Lucien laughed. A full, loud and clear laugh that echoed against the face of the crater.

“You’re a good liar.” Lucien looked at the half-elf above him, who lowered the blade and let him fall.

Essek landed hard, drops of blood staining the packed snow.

Lucien used a single finger, lifting the drow’s face to meet his eye.

“Now, Essek. You’re going to tell me where those assholes are, where they put the Crest. If you, or any of your people want to see the light of day.”

Essek nodded, slowly sitting up, taking stock of how close the half-elf behind him was, and the symitars on Lucien’s hips.

“Yes, yes, fine pieces of work they are.” Lucien fingered the hilts of his blades. “You may as well tell me what I want to know, I’ll find them. If that means tearing through this place. I know their tricks. I’ve been watching.”

“If you’ve been watching.” Essek sneered. “You’d know the Crest isn’t here.”

That caused Lucien’s smile to break.

“You know I’m not lying about that.” Essek smiled. He shifted on his knees, praying his cloak hid his movements. “You’re too late, _Nonagon_.”

As Essek hissed the words, Lucien made to strike, but luck was on Essek’s side, and he swung the chunk of ice, smashing into Lucien’s head, causing him to stumble back.

Before he could even guess if the half-elf was ready, Essek dove off the wall, but before he touched the ground he felt gravity’s grip on him loosen again, and he shot through the now silent outpost.

 _Jester!_ He shouted telepathically. _They’re here! Run!_

He only managed to send the final word before his feet touched the ground again, a split second before crossbow bolts struck his back, knocking him back to the ground.

Lucien’s laugh echoed. On the solid walls it sounded like a dozen voices.

“I see why they like you, Crick.” Essek felt a boot press into one of the bolts. He screamed, but he was alone. “Such pains in my ass.”

Lucien stomped the bolt, sending waves of pain like Essek had never felt. He tried to take in another breath, but it was too much. He clawed at the snow, but Lucien’s foot was firm on his back now.

“Ah ah ah,” Lucien clicked his tongue. “You got your chance… I, hmm. Pick him up.”

The foot gone, along with most of Essek’s energy, hands grabbed his splayed arms and pulled him up to his feet.

Lucien circled around, studying him.

“Anyone willing to die for those meddlers is fool enough, they’re fools too, you know.” Lucien turned to the direction Essek was running.

 _Jester_. Essek tried again.

His reply was a broken nose.

Lucien studied the blood left on his knuckles.

“You don’t take orders very well, do you?” Lucien licked the blood. “Ugh. Whatever. I suppose whatever draws them out quickest is fine.”

“Why… are you even still here?” Essek coughed.

“Because I hate them, because this is a whole Dynasty outpost right for the pickings—” He got in close to Essek’s face again. “Because it’s fun. Because I can. Take your pick.”

Essek spit a lob of blood, hitting Lucien on the cheek.

That earned him another punch, this time from the goliath that gripped his right arm.

“They won’t come out for me you know.” Essek said between labored breaths. “I already betrayed their trust once. They won’t let it happen again.”

Lucien chuckled. “Wow. You really are a good liar. But I’ve met those assholes. Did you know they ran down an ancient white dragon? Just for that mouthy bitch? They’ll come.”

Caleb stared down at the leather harness wrapped around his chest.

He had marched off from the group, going into the guest room, and for what?

What the fuck was he doing here?

Essek’s mansion?

Eiselcross?

With the Nein?

No. He shut out the thought the moment it crossed his mind.

They were his friends. Family.

If they wanted to see this bullshit to the end, then by the gods he’d be there.

Or he would’ve before—

The stinging returned to his arm.

It started out as a dull ache every now and then, not even enough to notice most of the time, but now it was practically unbearable.

He looked around the empty room. Essek’s things were still folded neatly on the chair.

He hissed a string of curses that would’ve made Veth blush, and pulled hard on the leather, letting it dig into his skin through the fabric of his shirt, before a _twang!_

The metal clasp snapped, with the weight of the books, the whole set slipped off his shoulders onto the ground.

“ _Scheisse_.” He hissed. He unbuckled the books, and tossed the harness to the side.

There had to be something. Something somewhere he overlooked, something he missed. He flipped through both spell book and journal, drinking in every word, every sketch and glyph until

_Knock knock knock_

Caleb jumped to his feet. It had hardly been a half hour, Fjord had better have cracked the code to the whole thing—

It was Essek. The drow was rambling on about something, and Caleb moved for him to enter.

“Everything alright?” Essek looked at him concerned. Caleb shifted in his spot by the door, making busy with his hands in his hair.

“What? Oh. Right. Must’ve gotten worn out. Gods only know how it lasted this long, frankly.” Caleb stammered. _Gods just leave_.

Essek picked up the harness with delicate fingers. He spoke softly, and in a flash, the buckle corrected itself back into position. He held it out for Caleb to take, which he did, every movement on manual. Now was not the time to crack.

He waited for Essek to gather his things.

“I have many people to check in on. I’ll be leaving guards outside my chambers, they will escort you to my study where we will hopefully crack some of these mysteries.”

“Right.” Caleb didn’t meet his eye. He could feel Essek looking at him. Studying him. Waiting for something.

“Is something the matter?” He asked. “Beyond the obvious looming threats.”

“Obvious…” Caleb stopped himself from rolling his eyes. “No. Nothing. Go do your shadowhand thing, I’ll be out with the others in a bit.”

Essek nodded, leaving him alone once again.

“Fuck.” Caleb kicked the journal. He paced, pulling his hair out of the tie, only to knot it back up again. “Shit.”

He made three circles around the room before finally stopping, and dropping to his knees.

Calmness took over, and as iff the past hour hadn’t happened, he collected the loose papers, tucked them into the two books, and replaced them on the harness.

Like it hadn’t happened.

Caleb gathered his own thing, taking one last look at the black stone fireplace, and descended down the stairs.

Whispers from the Kitchen greeted him, and he rounded the corner to find the rest of the Nein sitting at the table, eating.

“He lives!” Fjord boomed. “Caduceus was just about to come find you.”

“Before or after you all finished eating?” Caleb sat in the open chair between Veth and Fjord.

“We woulda saved you something.”

“Look!” Yasha held up a lump covered in chocolate. “Essek has bugs too.”

Caleb smiled.

“Not as good as yours, of course.” She popped it into her mouth. “A bit more… tangy.”

He’d be lying if he said that the light mood at the breakfast (dinner? Wasn’t it late evening now?) table wasn’t a welcome change from the long few days they all had. Some of them still more exhausted than other, but alive, warm, and safe.

“Essek said he’d wait for us in his study.” Caleb said once the empty platters began to drift off the table.

“Right.” Fjord stood, pulling on his coat. “Better get to it.”

“Woooaahhh.” Jester broke the calm.

“Are you alright?” Fjord was at her side in a second. He offered his arms to steady her, but she shook her head.

“I thought I just heard—Essek?” She asked. They all waited. Nothing. “Weird?”

“What, he sent a message?” Veth asked.

“He can do that?” Caduceus picked up his staff.

Jester shrugged. “It was like he was whispering; I think something’s wrong.”

“Lucien.” Beau gave Caleb a look. “He must’ve followed us.

“What do we do? We don’t have the crest anymore.” Veth said.

“Well he can’t get in here, can he?” Beau asked. “We don’t have the crest. Not even Lucien can take out this whole outpost, maybe we just wait it out.”

“Essek sounded real bad, guys.” Jester made her way to the entrance of the kitchen. “We need to go. If he’s in danger—”

“What do we do?” Beau called. “Lucien kicked our asses. If he and the Takers managed to make it all the way in to Essek, we’re obviously no match for him.”

“And just let him die?” Jester spun on her heels. “He’s still our friend, Beau.”

“Still _your_ friend.” Beau snapped. “I haven’t forgotten what he’s done.”

“And neither have we, Beauregard.” Caleb said. “But you need to remember, this is Essek’s place. If he dies, it all disappears, and we’re fucked anyway.”

“God, fine.” Beau stood up. “This is still pretty shitty.”

“No one is leaping for joy.” Caleb countered.

“Shut up.”

The group moved as one down and out of the mansion, weapons drawn.

Jester had stopped them for a second, but shook her head.

“Just my name.” She explained. “I don’t know where he is.”

_Just follow the smell of traitor blood. All the way up to the surface._

The disembodied voice echoed down the corridor.

“Lucien.” Beau hissed. She twisted her grip on her staff.

She gave a nod to Veth, who disappeared into the shadows of the corridor. They followed after a second of silence, all the way to the top.

Caleb peaked from behind the curtain drapped over the hole in the wall. Lucien paced around the clearing, humming to himself. He twirled one of his symitars, tossing it and then catching it again.

On the other side of where Lucien was, were two Takers, the goliath, Zorin, and the half-elf, Tyfel. On the ground in front of them was Essek, unmoving.

Caleb pushed the knot down from his throat, and recalled what he saw to the others.

“Can we flank?” Beau hissed. “How do these fucking tunnels work?”

“No time.” Caduceus peaked over Caleb. “Essek looks pretty bad. I can’t tell if those are arrows or—”

“Fucking Otis.” Veth hissed from the shadows.

“What do we do?” Yasha asked. “Charge in?”

 _I wouldn’t recommend that._ The voice echoed again.

Caleb glanced out, but Lucien was facing away from them, balancing the sword on the tip of his finger.

He pulled out a small wire, and pointed it at Lucien.

“Just more business, ey?” Caleb said.

Lucien tossed his blade, and caught it. “A simple deal.”

“What sort of deal?” Caleb said through the wire. He felt Beau smack his shoulder.

“No. No deals.” She hissed into his ear.

“I’ve had my suspicions.” Lucien replied. “My theories. You have something of mine.”

“The Crest is gone, Lucien.” Caleb growled. “I thought you could find another one?”

His laugh echoed in the spell, but loud enough for him to hear it in person as well. The feedback made his headache. He set the wire down.

“I’m not talking about the crest, Mr. Caleb.” Lucien turned fully now, looking right at the hut they were hiding in. “Why don’t you come out, so we can talk, for real?”

Caleb pocketed the wire, and stood up.

“What are you doing?” Beau made to pull him back down. Caleb shook his head.

“Just me.” He muttered only for her, and tapped his shoulder.

“Fuck.” She let go of him. And turned to the group, pantomiming a new plan.

Caleb pushed the door open, and stepped into the moonlight.

“And there he is.” Lucien smiled. He walked over and kicked Essek. “Oh, darn. Cree!”

The tabaxi appeared from behind Zorin, and crouched besides Essek. She muttered something, and he shifted.

Caleb stepped forward and could now see the two crossbow bolts in his back, and the pooling blood around him.

“I have a trade in mind.” Lucien explained. “I’ll let your friends and your boytoy here live, if you come with me.”

“And why the hell would I agree to that?” Caleb called back.

Lucien pointed to him.

A now familiar dull ache stretched from his shoulder all across his body. It was blinding, and sent him to his knees.

“That’s why.” Lucien stalked forward. He yanked Caleb’s scarf off, and pulled his coat and shirt down, showing off the eye. “You saw more than you let on, Mr. Caleb.”

Caleb looked up to meet his gaze.

“But I know you didn’t understand the things you saw.” Lucien purred. “You only got a glimpse. Barely a whiff of the real power. The real knowledge that lies with the Somnovum. I killed Vess because she was too much of a risk to our plans. She sought to fiddle with things that she didn’t understand, that would’a mucked it up for all of us, even her. But you’re careful, aren’t you, Caleb? You know when it’s time to stop and listen. To play your cards right.”

The heat from the mark and from the closeness of the face Caleb might’ve once called a friend kept the chilling wind from hitting his skin. Time seemed to freeze beyond the two of them, and whatever the hell Lucien was offering.

“What are you asking?” Caleb asked. He prayed his dumb shtick was enough to stall for the others.

“I’m asking you to follow. Without the judgmental eyes of your companions. They don’t understand, do they? But if you come with me, I can show you things you’ve never even dreamt of.”

Lucien’s grin widened at the face Caleb made.

“Poor choice of words, perhaps. But you know you want more.” Lucien pulled away. “ _They_ want you to know more. He—” Lucien pointed behind him at Essek, who now knelt across from him. “Tried to stop that. That whole trick with the fireplace? It only slowed you down. Come with me.”

Lucien held his hand out to Caleb.

Caleb looked passed him at Essek.

Essek shook his head. Pleading with Caleb with his entire being.

Caleb watch Zorin adjust his Warhammer, taking a step forward, leveling it with Essek’s head.

He looked back up at Lucien, and took his hand.

“There’s a good boy.” Lucien pulled him to his feet. He clasped Caleb on the shoulder, readjusting the shirt and coat. “Sorry for the roughness. I do love a little dramatic flair.”

“I didn’t expect this.” Caleb let him lead him across the clearing. “I was under the impression you didn’t want to share the spotlight.”

“In all fairness,” Lucien whispered. “Vess was a downright bitch. Always acting like she knew better just because she went to that fancy-dance-y school… but I think you and I can see eye to eye. Cree and the others, they let me lead, but there’s always been a certain… gap between us. Only a select few are chosen, Mr. Caleb.”

He nodded to Zorin as they passed. Caleb watched from the corner of his eye as the goliath twirled his weapon, and clubbed Essek on the side of the head, knocking him back into the snow.

“Don’t worry about him.” Lucien turned Caleb’s face back towards the gate they were approaching. His grip was still tight on Caleb’s shoulder. “You’ve got some fine clerics, he’ll live.”

Caleb bit his tongue. He didn’t dare look back in fear of giving his friends away.

_Where were they?_

Lucien chuckled. “Maybe you lot aren’t as foolish as I thought. They know a losing fight when they see it.”

Caleb felt his heart sink as he heard the footfalls of the other Tombtakers fall in like around Lucien.

Otis appeared above the gate, her crossbow aimed behind him.

They crossed the threshold of the wall, and a soft thud hit the snow behind him.

“Just a precaution.” Lucien’s grip loosened just enough for Caleb to turn to watch Otis set charges into a keg of powered.

 _Veth’s gonna murder that guy_. He thought as he recognized the bright, slightly glittery paint of Fluffernutter painted on the keg.

Otis retreated to them, laughing, as the fuse finished.

They—Otis, Lucien and subsequently Caleb paused, and turned at the lack of any fantastical fanfare.

“Bad fuse?” Otis looked down at the gear on their belt, shuffling though a pouch of twines.

Suddenly the keg went off, the boom ricocheting off the mountainous crater the outpost rested below.

The first thing to happen, simply, was the snowy gate collapsed into mush, splinters of wood and puddles of water ready to flash-freeze in the incoming weather.

The second, were shouts from inside the outpost.

It seemed whatever silence Lucien and his crew had pulled over the place had broken, and Caleb could hear Jester and Fjord over the ruckus.

The third, which would have been the second for most of the people within the outpost, was the low rumble.

Lucien pointed at the edge of the crater, despite Caleb’s eye already watching the avalanche slide down with an alarming speed.

“Best we get on our, way, eh?” Lucien pulled Caleb along.

“You said you wouldn’t hurt them!” Caleb pulled at Lucien’s iron grasp.

“That is wholly untrue.” Lucien said. “I said I’d let them live. I never said for how long; never ensured no little… accidents… didn’t occur.”

The Tombtakers easily outpaced the snowslide, even with Caleb’s protests. Lucien soon got sick of it, and Zorin scooped up the wizard, gripping his arms tight enough that Caleb was sure there’d be bruises in the morning.

He watched over the goliath’s shoulder of the final moments of the outpost being visible, before the snow settled, leaving no sign it had ever been there.

He watched until the mound of freshly churned snow was barely visible in the dark, waiting for heads to pop out of the snow, for Jester’s huge blue owl form to appear in the night sky, anything.

“Let him walk.” Lucien ordered. Zorin dropped Caleb to the ground, and to the ground Caleb went.

“Uh, sorry.” Zorin pulled him up by the collar, planting him firmly onto his feet. Caleb swayed, Zorin steadied him. “Uh, boss, I think we might’ve gone too far.”

Lucien looked over his shoulder, eyebrow raised. He rolled his eyes, but spun energetically, spreading out his arms in such a way it made Caleb choke up.

“My apologies, Mr. Caleb, for any distress my colleagues and I caused. But business is business.” He patted Caleb on the shoulder. “But you made the right choice. You’re on the path to righteousness now, Widowgast.”

The other Tombtakers walked past him, following close behind their Nonagon.

 _Surely they’re not…_ Caleb told himself. They couldn’t be. He bit the inside of his cheek. They’d find him. They must’ve found cover, surely being buried alive in snow was the easiest thing that had happened to any of them in the past three weeks of traveling this hellscape.

He turned to where Molly almost vanished from sight.

They’d find him, in time. Caleb told his legs to walk forward. He just had to buy them some time.

“Ay, ya comin’?” Otis’ voice came from his left. He looked down at them. They sneered up at him. Clearly the halfling’s distrust steamed further than his mutual hatred towards Veth.

Caleb nodded. “Of course.”

And followed in the heavy footsteps laid before him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao woops. Please trust me when i say i have no idea what direction this is going, if it's still gonna go. I do be vibin'

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how to end things so here ya go thanks for reading! Maybe I'll do more? I don't know?


End file.
